City provides evening updates on Tropical Storm Isaac preparedness as of 11:30PM Monday

August 27, 2012

NEW ORLEANS, LA— At 11:00 p.m. Monday, August 27, the City of New Orleans provided an update on the City’s readiness in advance of Tropical Storm Isaac potential landfall in southeast Louisiana on Tuesday.

At this time, there is no mandatory evacuation order for New Orleans. Mayor Landrieu has strongly encouraged residents who live outside the City’s levee protection system or in low-lying areas (like Venetian Isles and Irish Bayou) to get to higher ground. Residents who live inside the levee system that have not left the city should prepare to take shelter with essential supplies including food, water, and medications. Residents will need to prepare to be self-sufficient for at least three days in the event of street flooding and power outages.

The City will not operate shelters of last resort. However, four local homeless shelters have added additional capacity to serve homeless residents.

LATEST UPDATES

GREATER NEW ORLEANS HURRICANE RISK REDUCTION SYSTEM (HSDRRS)The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has closed the following flood protection structures:

Downman Road flood gate

Lakeshore Drive flood gate

2 of the 3 gates at the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal Surge Barrier

REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY (RTA)RTA bus service will end at 4:00 a.m. Tuesday, August 28. Streetcar service was shut down at 2 p.m. on Monday, August 27.

HEALTH DEPARTMENTAt 12 midnight, the Health Department will stop transfers of citizens with medical special needs that had previously registered to be evacuated. At this time, approximately 50 residents were evacuated to other parts of the state.

PARKINGCity crews will not be performing street cleaning or towing tomorrow, August 28th, allowing residents to park on streets, particularly in the French Quarter, Central Business District or where signage indicates when street cleaning would typically occur.

Earlier this evening the City provided the following updates:

PUBLIC SAFETY"All public safety agencies are fully operational and prepared to respond to any storm-related situation," said Lt. Col. Jerry Sneed, Deputy Mayor of Public Safety. The City’s Emergency Operation Center is now working on 24/7 until further notice. Additionally, the City’s 311 service is operating 24/7 for general information and to report non-life threatening emergencies such as:

Storm preparation information

Sidewalk and road problems

Debris

Residents should call 911 ONLY for life-threatening emergencies.

NEW ORLEANS POLICE DEPARTMENTThe New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) has activated its hurricane preparedness plan, and is fully ready to protect people and property in neighborhoods and business district. The NOPD will ticket motorists who drive faster than 5 mph on streets with standing water.

NEW ORLEANS FIRE DEPARTMENTThe New Orleans Fire Department (NOFD) is fully staffed and prepared to respond to emergencies involving fire, water or hazardous materials. Additionally, the NOFD Urban Search and Rescue team is on standby in the event that it is needed. NOFD encourages residents to practice generator safety by operating them only in well-ventilated areas, away from doors, windows and vent openings. The NOFD also urges residents to use candles and kerosene lamps safely and never leave them unattended.

ANIMAL CONTROLUntil further notice, the SPCA will be on emergency response only. The SPCA has suspended adoptions and is evacuating adoptable pets to Dallas. Residents are advised to take necessary precautions to safeguard their pets at home or during evacuations.

HOMELESS SHELTERSThe following shelters will be available for homeless persons on Monday, August 27:

Covenant House, 611 N. Rampart Street, take in underway (males and females ages 16-21 and females of any age with children) 504-523-1111.

St. Jude, 400 N. Rampart St., take in beginning at 5 p.m. (males and females) 504-931-6993.

Other Ground Transportation

Greyhound will have its last outgoing bus at 9:30 p.m. and last incoming bus at 11:00 p.m. on Monday.

Amtrak’s last train, The Crescent, is scheduled to arrive around 7:30 p.m. on Monday. There will be no outgoing service for the next 48 hours.

SANITATIONSanitation Department contractors will have regular pickups on Monday, but will not pick up trash on Tuesday and Wednesday. Once trash is picked up on Monday, residents should secure all trash bins.

SEWERAGE & WATER BOARDAll 24 Sewerage & Water Board pumps are 100% operational and backup generators at the Sewerage & Water Board Plant are active.

PARKINGThe City is allowing residents to secure their vehicles on the neutral ground throughout the weather event.

ENTERGYEntergy has activated its emergency response center, prestaged all equipment and activated mutual assistance agreements with other agencies. Customers are encouraged to go to www.entergy.com to sign up for text messages. Residents may call 1-800-9OUTAGE to report outages or downed power lines.

PUBLIC WORKSThe department of Public Works has contractors and staff on standby for road repair and debris removal. Multiple crews on Sunday began cleaning out catch basins.

SCHOOL CLOSURESOrleans Parish School Board, Recovery School District and Archdiocese of New Orleans schools are closed through Wednesday, August 29.

Tulane University, Dillard University, Southern University at New Orleans and The University of New Orleans will be closed through Wednesday, August 29. Xavier University and Our Lady of Holy Cross College will close through Thursday, August. 30.

LIBRARIESNew Orleans Public Library locations will be closed through Tuesday, August 28. Mid-week weather conditions will determine operating hours for the remainder of the week.

NEW ORLEANS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTAll airlines are going to cease operations at the end of the schedule today. There will be no flights for Tuesday, August 28th. The Airport is not an evacuation shelter and people will not be allowed to stay in terminal during the storm. Travelers are encouraged to check individual airlines websites for latest information.

VISITOR ATTRACTIONSNew Orleans hotels remain open. City officials are in contact with hotels and conventions in town in order to ensure safety of New Orleans visitors as well as New Orleans residents. The New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau provide hospitality industry updates on their webpage at https://www.facebook.com/NewOrleansCVB

RESIDENT PRECAUTIONS

Prepare to shelter in place with supplies needed in the event of loss of water and/ or power.

Clean or clear catch basins near your home.

Check on your neighbors and the elderly to make sure they have plans in place.

Bring in or secure any loose objects outside.

Board up your windows or hatch down shutters.

EMERGENCY SUPPLY KITSAccording to Emergency Preparedness officials, families should build an emergency supply kit at home that includes:

Water (one gallon per person, per day for at least 3 days)

Non-perishable food (three-day supply for evacuation)

Non-electric can opener for food

Radio (battery-powered or hand crank)

Flashlights

Batteries

First aid kit (medications and medical supplies, seven-day supply)

Whistle

Dust masks

Sanitation items

Personal hygiene items

Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities

Maps

Important family documents

READY.NOLA.GOVCitizens are encouraged to sign up for email and text message alerts by going to http://new.nola.gov/ready. This service allows city officials to contact citizens during emergencies, which includes life-threatening weather events, evacuation or shelter in place information, and other pertinent emergency information. In addition to the website, the City operates a twitter handle: @nolaready.

IMPORTANT NUMBERS TO KNOW

For life threatening emergencies, call 911

To report a non-life threatening problem or to get information, call 311

Non-lfe threatening crime, call 504-821-2222

Sewerage and Water Boards 24/7 line, call 504-529-2837

To report power outages, call 1-800-968-8243 (1-800-9OUTAGE)

Report levee issues on the East Bank to Orleans Levee District Police at 504-283-9800 and on the West Bank call the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority West at 504-340-0318